Settlement allows Robert S. Womack, WJNZ to continue at 1140-AM for up to 6 months

Robert S. WomackGRAND RAPIDS -- Local R&B/Motown station WJNZ may live on, but it probably won't be at 1140-AM on the radio.

A settlement approved this week provides station manager Robert S. Womack up to six months to operate Grand Rapids' only radio station geared toward the black community.

After that, 1140-AM will be transferred to Holy Family Radio, a religious broadcaster.

The settlement gave Womack's Robert S Radio LLC and Kentwood-based Goodrich Radio LLC the right to transfer the WJNZ call letters to another station if they can find one.

On Womack's "Pulse of the City" program Friday afternoon, he called the court settlement "shenanigans" and said "they took it upon themselves to go ahead and throw in the towel."

Kent County Circuit Court Judge Christopher Yates approved the sale of the station to Lowell-based Holy Family for $310,000. Holy Family is a Catholic broadcasting company that operates three AM stations in West Michigan.

WJNZ has been operating in receivership since May after Huntington Bank said the station and its owner defaulted on $274,859 in loans.

While Yates left the door open for Womack to turn down the settlement, Womack said he may end up signing it.

"The good news is we have found another signal that we will be able to broadcast from if we do take this settlement," Womack said on his show.